California Chardonnay’s

California Chardonnay’s – Episode #112

October 20, 2006

Wines tasted in this episode:

Today Gary tackles oaky, over the top Chardonnay’s. Watch today and see how Gary reviews these three Chards. Gary then answers more viewer questions and has a new QOD. Have a good weekend and we’ll see you next week.

283 Responses

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October 20, 2006

PattyO
We drank this tonight:
2004 Can Blau Montsant
We didn’t know it at the time – but it’s the single wine featured (6-pack episodes) on episode #26 – there are only 7 comments so maybe you (as I hadn’t) haven’t seen it yet.
It’s a 90 pt. Parker, $12.99 – my husband and I LOVE it (had it recently in a wine bar and realized we also have 2 bottles at home). Gary likes it – and it’s available at WL. I recommend it – we dacanted for about 8+ hours and that really softened the tannins – had creamy parm. polenta and grilled steak with it and that was really great.
October 20, 2006

Arnold
Got my order open the Vitae Chianti Colli Senesi today, $7, it was fantastic! Thanks Gary.
The Angeline Russian River Chardonnay 2002 was very nice and I think it was $12. I’ve never had a $40 chardonnay either.
October 20, 2006

Panman
Gary-

Can you run through the filter/non-filter/fining/unfined etc. explanations?
October 20, 2006

kidseyemd
I have adored Peter Michael’s Chards but they are expensive and i’ve only had them a handful of times
October 20, 2006

KAHUNA
Russ J, see you there! I happen to be a big fan of the 01 Bogle Petite Syrah or was it 00 I have to check but I have a case stashed away it was that good- I must have drunk about 15 bottles of it- for the price it was the best thing around- I love Petite’s- I also like their old vine Zin.
October 20, 2006

Russ J
Easy, Gary, easy. Next time, swallow the Chardonnay.

QOTD: I read an article in Automobile Magazine years ago about Gil Nickel, who owned Far Niente. He was a big car AND wine guy. Based on that article, I picked up a bottle of his Chardonnay, early to mid Nineties vintage for probably $40. At the time , it was the most expensive wine I had ever purchased retail. I was quite skeptical that it would be worth it, but it definitely was. I don’t drink a lot of Cali Chards these days but if I do, Talbott and Cuvaison are two solid choices.

Drinking an ‘03 Bogle Old Vine zin right now. Good quaffer. Maybe something fancy tomorrow. I wonder if my wife will go for the cleavage Champagne thing. If not, I’m goin’ to Scores!
October 20, 2006

Dominus
Oh, oh, almost forgot. I’m having the Rocky Creek Zin tonight on your suggestion and let me say, it’s better than any Rosenblum I’ve ever tasted. Very, very nice.

Sipping some Rocky Creek watching Ghost Whisperer on a Friday night. Doesn’t get much better than this.

Dom
October 20, 2006

Dominus
I, too, like you, appreciate the California chards now and then. As for my fav I have a few: ‘94 Girard was my first “exciting” Chard from CA, followed by Kistler Dutton Ranch and also Sonoma-Cutrer.

As an FYI, I’m off Sunday for California where I plan to hit the nearest sports bar to watch the Colts spank the Redskins (though I live in DC) and then mid-week do my own “Sideways” tour through the wineries of Santa Barbara. Should be fun.

Cheers!
Dom
October 20, 2006

E
Piovano and friends arrived yesterday morning, but I ain’t touching it just yet either.

QOD: ‘02 Rombauer Carneros–I wandered into one of the local groceries on my lunch hour last year and they had six bottles of it on clearance at $5 a pop. Normally not my thing, but at that price … absolute no-brainer. Harmless, buttery fun, and good for holiday turkey dinners when you know they’re going to dry out the white meat.
October 20, 2006

Chuck W
HUNA, Awesome Pennington-ELF comparison!

Gary, you better check, I think someone’s stealing your car.

QOD – Cuvaison Chard. (a big wine – 14.5%, extremely oaky)

MY QUESTION – Can you through me a frickin bone here and taste a Cuvaison? Somehow you have destroyed my confidence in WS and elevated by my opinion of RP and GV ratings. How about this. Browns – Jets game. Browns win you taste a Cuvaison Pinot. Jets win I only buy from WL. Deal or no Deal?
October 20, 2006

Darlene O.
Hey, Gary…great as always. Believe it or not, I like the Calera Chard. Got to ask you…IF the JETS win a Super Bowl, will you lose interest? Will you still want to buy them in the future?
October 20, 2006

Matty Van, Rochester,NY
have to love NY…its was sunny and a few days ago and now rain and 45

Tony – I belive your tripped will be perfectly timed the fall folage should be hitting its peak. Deending on where abouts your going to be you may want to check out the NY wine and culinary center in Canandaigua,ny http://www.nywcc.com/

there is also an ice wine I like….

Casa Larga – Fiori Delle Stelle VIDAL ICE WINE-2004, Winner of the 2005 Govener’s Cup Award”The best wine in New York State” its $75 a bottle though…I thought it was worth it.

$27 per pound with free shipping is not a bad price at all for legs that big, those have to be pushing a pound a leg, almost twice the size of the normal king crab leg.

I submitted my gravatar many times and it never showed up
October 20, 2006

Tony
Time to go catch a plane.

Now you can talk about me behind my back all you want.

I’ll miss you guys – and what’s his name – the guy that tastes the wines.
October 20, 2006

Jaye
Here too: http://www.gravatar.com/blog/
October 20, 2006

Jaye
RE: Gravatars . . . here is what I found out:

http://www.gravatar.com/maintenance.php
October 20, 2006

Tony
Yeah, I miss the Gravatars too! Gary, what’s up with that? Is a Gravatar problem or a WLTV problem?
October 20, 2006

Jaye
This episode started out backwards for me — having to drink California Chardonnay would put me in a bad mood, not get me out of it. I’ve tried many over the years because 1) I’m female, 2) All my female friends drink it 3) In the 90’s it was the thing to do. And I have to say the only ones I ever liked to drink were the ones that were “un-oaked”. They were also consistently the ones that won our blind tastings when we used to have wine tasting parties.

So, I was pleased to see Gary do a short, under 10-minute episode. And by the way, Gary, this is your show. You cannot expect to do episodes like 110 and 111 every episode and stay sane. Don’t feel you have to be perfect all the time. Maybe if you just do one “super” episode a week that is plenty. Frankly, finding the time to watch your “super episodes” uninterrupted is difficult for many people too. Having short, under 10-minute episodes as the norm might also be better for lots of viewers. It would almost certainly help your fatigue and keep you from burning out. Last thing any of us want is for this to become a chore for you. Just my $.02.
October 20, 2006

Jim Kay
QOD: Chalone.
Haven’t tried any made under the new owners
October 20, 2006

Brandon M
Speaking of Viking Horns…where in the Hell..er I mean Heck…are the Gravatars? Those were a ton of fun AND lent to everyone’s perosnalities…what Gives? (This is the third inquiry by the way!)

B
October 20, 2006

KAHUNA
I almost bought a house in Healdsburg 4 years ago- boy I am a dope for not doing it- Now I am lucky I can afford a hotel room there- It is my favorite place to stay(outside of Italy that is)- we used to stay at Hotel Healdsburg when they first opened. Now we stay at the Healdsburg Inn
October 20, 2006

Tony
Matty Van, – Dr. Frank and Fox Run are both on my hit list this weekend while I’m freezing my wimpy California *ss off in your wretched excuse for a state.

Brandon – no Bentley? I’m not sure I want you as a friend. I’ll be in touch when I get back re: the Amador trip. Also, Jhan and I are thinking of splitting 10 days at Christmas between SF and Healdsburg. Maybe we could hook up for a bit then too.

This brings up a whole thing: WLTV wine country trips. It’d be fun (or maybe not, given some of the wierdos [the guy with the viking horns comes to mind] ) to organize WLTV wine tasting trips. A chance to meet, taste wines, and find out that we really don’t like each other afterall – particularly after 7 wineries in one day.
October 20, 2006

KAHUNA
Matty Van,
thanks for the reccom. on the wine- I will give it a try
October 20, 2006

KAHUNA
Get on the email list they have have specials all the time- my last batch was 10lbs for $149. shipped overnight fedex
October 20, 2006

TimF
Kahuna – Those crab legs are RIDICULOUS. I’m gonna need to take out a home equity loan to buy 10 pounds though!
October 20, 2006

TampaSteve
Brandon….ROTFLMAO>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>